


Breathe

by icarusmoon



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:41:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27594274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icarusmoon/pseuds/icarusmoon
Summary: But he was in love, and he was happy, and he was home. It was as though he had been holding his breath his whole life, and he could finally exhale.So when Rapunzel woke up from a nightmare, sobbing into Eugene’s shoulder and apologizing profusely, he couldn’t hide his shock.(Or: Eugene tries to express how much he loves Rapunzel.)
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 11
Kudos: 49





	Breathe

**Author's Note:**

> Another fic based on a Tumblr prompt from @SecondhandLovers! ❤️ I thought I'd give this one a more permanent home, too.

When Eugene ran away from the orphanage, he told himself he was starting over. He was no longer the troublemaker or the oldest kid or the storyteller. He was Flynn Rider. 

He settled easily into his wanted thief persona and started dreaming of owning an island. Or a castle. Or both. Why not both? Flynn could do anything he wanted to do. He go anywhere he wanted to go, because he was _free._

It was odd, then, that living in the castle–with all its traditions and stuffy protocol–made Eugene feel more like himself than he ever had before. He didn’t have to live up to the reputation of the infamous Flynn Rider, or finish jobs under the Stabbingtons’ threats. He could just be Eugene Ftizherbert, and for once, that name didn’t hurt. He was finally safe and loved and wanted.

Of course, that was Rapunzel’s doing. He still found himself breaking many of Frederic’s rules (for the record, so did Rapunzel; there was no way they were going to spend _every_ night apart, and that meant they had to do some sneaking around), and sometimes being the princess’s boyfriend came with its own irritations. Fancy dinners and meetings with diplomats weren’t really his thing. 

But he was in love, and he was happy, and he was _home._ It was as though he had been holding his breath his whole life, and he could finally exhale. 

So when Rapunzel woke up from a nightmare, sobbing into Eugene’s shoulder and apologizing profusely, he couldn’t hide his shock. 

At first, Eugene laughed. “What on earth are you apologizing for, Sunshine?”

Rapunzel looked up at him incredulously. “For _everything._ I–I put a lot on you, Eugene. You didn’t ask for any of this. It’s hard to not feel like a burden when I wake up every night, crying. Or when I have to leave to do princess things. Or when you have to wake up early for breakfast. Or–”

She took a deep, shaky breath and buried her face in her hands. 

“Rapunzel, sweetheart. Look at me.”

She peered up at him through her fingers, her green eyes sparkling with tears. 

“I love you,” Eugene said, his voice soft but firm. “And loving you is the easiest thing I have ever done. Early mornings and all.” 

“I guess it’s just hard for me to believe,” Rapunzel said, hugging her knees to her chest. “After…everything.” 

She didn’t need to elaborate. Gothel had spent eighteen years telling Rapunzel she loved her, and it was all a lie. 

“I know. C’mere.” 

Rapunzel scooted closer and settled into Eugene’s chest, sighing as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her temple. 

“I love you, Eugene,” she whispered. 

Eugene pulled her closer and gave her another kiss. There was an odd tightness to his chest, a kind of ache he wasn’t sure how to soothe. He wished the words “I love you” weren’t so painful for her to hear. He wished her past hadn’t left her so bruised. He wished that damn tower would stop haunting her dreams, and that she didn’t feel guilty for simply existing. 

He wasn’t sure how to tell her all that.

But he had to try. 

“Rapunzel?”

“Mmmm?”

“You make me feel alive,” he murmured. “For the first time ever, I feel like I can breathe.”

Rapunzel hummed again, smiling as her eyes fluttered closed.


End file.
